Long Beach dog sought to be face of One Book events

LONG BEACH - If a dog gets 15 minutes of fame, is that an hour and 45 minutes in dog years?

One lucky local family Fido will get the chance to find out through the "Long Beach Enzo" contest by Long Beach Reads One Book.

The contest, which is under way, is connected to the long-running reading program's current selection, "The Art of Racing in the Rain." The best-selling book written by Garth Stein tells the story of Denny Swift, an aspiring race car driver, through the eyes of his dog, Enzo.

The winning dog will represent Swift's canine companion during this year's book week, March 12-19.

"The Art of Dancing in the Rain" is a tale of family, love, loyalty and hope from a four-legged perspective - the human experience as only a dog who is an aspiring human himself can tell it, Mary E. Barton, vice chairwoman of Long Beach Reads One Book, said in a statement.

"So we're looking for that lovable, curious, and wise dog who can carry the legacy of Enzo in our many Book Week activities," Barton said.

Contestants must send a picture of their dog and a 100-word essay in the "dog's" words about why he or she should be selected as Long Beach Enzo.

Entries must be emailed to LBReadsOne@gmail.com by Jan. 18. Winners must be available for a photo shoot in late January and sign a release.

Stein will headline a week of dog- and racing-themed events when he appears March 19 at the Carpenter Center for Performing Arts.

Other Book Week events include a dog celebration at a local park, a panel on the benefits of pet ownership, a city racing history, a geocaching challenge with prizes, library programs and more. Details on the events will be posted at www.lbplfoundation.org/enzo.

Long Beach Reads One Book seeks to promote reading and community building by urging residents to read books for children and adults.

The program is in its 12 th year and is primarily sponsored by the Long Beach Public Library Foundation.